Metallic railway-tie.



C. ERICKSON.

METALLIC RAILWAY TIE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN'. 24. 1914.

1,094,847, Patented Apru 28, 1914.

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gmvamfoz witness/eo N w 07% L @Laos ERICKSON am N SJL-R fltto'nnu UNTTED STATES PATENT oFFioE.

CLAUS ERICKSON, O-F IRONWOOD, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO' JOSEPHl SMITH, OF IBONWOOD, MICHIGAN.

METALLIC RAILWAY-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. es, 1914;.`

Appiieation inea January 24, 1914. senainc. 814,221;

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLAUS ERICKSON, citizen of the United States, residing at Ironwood, in the county of Gogebic and .State of Michigan, have invented certain fastening the rails thereto, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this character which is composed almost entirely of metal and enibodies novel features of construction whereby the rails are held securely in position, al y though cushioning means is provided to pre vent the objectionable hammering and noises which are always incident to the use `of an all metal tie. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which admits of the rails being easily and quicklyplaced in position or removed therefrom, which provides a firm support for the rails,I

and which can be used as a satisfactory and inexpensive substitute for wooden ties.

Withthese and other objects in view, the

invention consists in certain novel combi.v

nations and arrangements ofthe parts as .will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out inf-the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention,J

reference is to behad to thefollowing de-y scription and' accompanying drawing, in which`z A Figure 1 is a plan view of a railway tie provided with rail fastening means constructed in .accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the same'. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the rail'clamping members. Fig. 4 is a similar'view of one of the rail supporting` plates. Fig. 5 is a similar View of one of the rail 'supporti-ng and cushioning blocks. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through a" railway tie provided with a modified Vformv of-rail fastening means, and Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the rail supporting plates employed in connection with the modied construction of the invention.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to the following descriptionl and indib5 cated in all the views of the drawings by the same xreference characters.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the invention illustrated by Figs. l to 5 of the drawings, the numeral -1 designates a 60 metallic railway tie which has'ak substantially U shaped cross section and may be.

conveniently formed from the ordinary commercial sect-ions of channel iron. The

base of the tie may rest direct-lyupon the road bed with the flanges projecting' upv ward'ly from opposite sides thereof. Thev rails 2 cross oppositeends of the'tie in 'the usual'manner and'rest upon cushioning and i supporting blocks-3positioned between the 70 side flanges vof the tie. These cushioning and supportingblocks 3 may be formed of wood so as to eliminate unnecessary and objectionable noise incident to the passage'of rollingstock over the track, as well as to f 4vprevent destructive hammering action which is usually present Where an all metal con! struction is employedg" The base of the tie l is provided. upon opposite sidesof the-7"` supporting-blocks 3 with openingsl Ll'de- 80 signed to receive downwardly projecting hooked lugs 5 at the outer ends'of rail clamping members 6. These rail clamping members 6 preferably have a wedge shaped for mat-ion, the tapered outer ends thereof terfA 85 minating in the. downwardly projecting' hooked gs adapted to pass through the" l openings 4f in the base of the tie 1,' while the inner ends thereof are adapted to abut against the supporting blocks 3 and are pro 90 videdat, the upper portions thereof with` rail engaging wings 7 adapted to"project over and engage the basal flangesfof the rails 2. The inne'i` faces of the ,rail clainpf ing members 6 are formed withbolt receiv- 9a ing openings 8 which register lwith a bolt receivingnotch 9 in the top of the ,rail supporting block 3, thefouter ends of the clampingmembers 6 being recessed from the top thereof as indicated ato to provide aclear- 10'0 ance space for the bolt heads and nuts, 'as weil as to eliminate unnecessarymetal land Vreduce thel vs'feight andcost of manufacture.

Suitable fastening. members such asthe bolts 10 are received 'within the notches 9 of the 105 rail supportinglblock's 3 arid-'pass through the openin 8 of the rail Aclamping ,mem-

bers 6.l enfthese'bolts 1.0).arerernoved,

thc'rail clamping members (i can be swung upwardly about the hooked lugs as a pivot center so as to admit of the rails 2 being readily placed in position upon the blocks 3 or remi'ived therefrom. lifter the rails have been properly positioned, the rail clam ping members (i are swung downwardly into the position indicated by ltig. 2 and the bolts 'l0 inserted in position. As these bolts are tightened, the rail clamping members are drawn together, and since the bolt acts horizontally in a plane above the hooked lugs 5, this tends to draw the rail clamping members botlrdownwardly against the base of the tie 1 as well as inwardly toward the vrail supporting block 3. The wings 7 ot the rail clamping members o are thus brought into a firm engagement with the basal'langes of theirails 2 so as to hold the' rails securely in position. rllhe tapered outer ends or the two rail clamping members 6 at opposite ends oij the tie 1 are provided .with the spaced upstanding lugs 12 adapted to engage corresponding notches lB'in the brace plate 14.

outer end of aninclined rail supporting and This brace plateld rests squarely upon the inclined upper face of the rail clamping member and is provided at its @upper end with a rail supporting surface 111 adapted to engage the lower surface of the 'head or' the rail at the outer side thereof. The rails are thus supported bot-h at the bases and heads thereof and. are securely held against vertical displacement or spreadin gli slight modification ot the invention is illustrated by Figs. 6 and 7. The character 1EL designates the tie which has a channel formation as in the previous instance. p'eniiigs tifare also provided as in the previous instance, althoughv in forming these openings en the metal of the base ofthe tie is pressed upwardly to provide suitable keep- .ers iti. The rail clamping members 6b have a ive-dgp shaped or tapered formation and are similar in construction to the rail clamping members 6, ruil engaging wings 7a being provided at the top of the inner ends thereof, while they are recessed in a similar mannel to :receive the fastening members or bolts y 10.. Tl*` tapered outer ends of the rail A Wardly vxis'in the former instance.

.. clamping `members 6* are provided with the 1u s 5 which are straight and project longitu inally therefrom, instead of having a h'ookedformation and projecting down- These lugs are inserted within the openings provided by the keepers 16- and provide a pivotv center about which the rail clamping members t3 can be swung upwardly. rails .have been positioned and the rail clamping members 6 swung downwardly,

. the bolts l0 are inserted and tightened, acting es previously described to draw the wings 7* into ti close engagement with the ritter the Loonse? basal flanges of thc rails. ln connection with the modification, a brace plate 14h may also be employed, the said brace plate resting upon the inclined upper surface of the rail clamping lnember Gb and being provided at its lower end with a notch 18 adapted to engage the keeper 16 and .at its upper end with o rail supporting surface 19 adapted to bear against and engage the lower surface of the rail head. The rails are thus sccurcly held in position, although they can be readily'removed at any time. lin this modiiied form of the invention the lower surface or bottomv of the tie is absolutely Hat with no projections, and this may be found preflenable for certain uses.

lin carrying out the invention-the two rail i clamping members- G preferably differ slightly in length, one of the said members 'being aboutA one-quarter inch longer than the'other member. With this construction the gage of the track can be made a trifle wider or triie narrower by reversing the osition of the two clamping members 6.

y reversing the position of the two clamping members on both sides of the track, a difference of one-half inch could be made in the gage' of the track, and this might be required on some curves..

Having thus described the invention, what `li claimas new and desire. to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tie, a rail supporting block resting upon the tie, a rail upon. the rail supporting block, a pair of substantially wedge shaped rail clamping members mounted upon the tie onopposite sides of the block, the tapered outer ends of -tli rail clamping members being formed with lugs which. each have a loose pivotal connection with the tie, while the inner endsof the rail clamping members are formed with rail engaging wings, and o. :fastening member extending under the rail and connecting the rail clamping members.

' 2.. ln a device of the character described,` 'the combination of a tie member having spaced openings therein, a rail supporting block resting upon the tie at a point between the openings, a rail up'onthe rail supporting block, a 'pair of rail clamping members mounted upon the tie member oli-opposite sides of the block, vthe outer ends of the rail clamping members being formed with lugs loosely engaging the openings of the tie member while the inner ends thereof are y formed with rail engaging wings, and a bolt passing under the rail and connecting the rail v,clanipii'ig members.

3. ln a device of the character described, the combination of al tie member having spaced openings therein, a 'rail supporting block resting upon the tie at an intermediate point between the openiugs.7 a

if furor. the

rail supporting block, a. pair of wedge shaped clamping members mounted upon the tie member on opposite sides of the block, the tapered outer ends of the rail `clamping members being provided with member vand positioned between vtlielangesv thereof, a rail upon the frail supporting block, a pair ofv Wedgeshaped rail clamping members applied to the tie on `opposite sides of the ,rail supporting block, the tapered outer ends of the rail clamping members each'having a loose pivotal connection with the tie member, While the ,inner ends thereof are provided with `Wingsadapttd 'to fit over and engage the basal ianges of the rail, and a bolt passing through the rail supporting Avblock and. connecting the rail clampingI members. t

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a channel t1e` member lhaving spaced openings in the base thereof,

a rail supporting block resting upon the tie member and positioned between the ianges thereof, said block having a bolt re, .ceiviiig notch in the topthereof, a rail resting'upon the said block, a pair of rail 'clamp'- ing members mounted upon the-tie on. opporail 'clamping members being formed with lugsloosely engaging the openings ofthe tie member while the inner ends thereof are` forme'dwith. wings adapted to extend 'over and engage the basal flanges of the rail, said rail clamping members having bolt receiving openings registering with the bolt receiving vnotch of the block, and a clamping bolt connecting the r'ail clamping members and positioned' within the bolt receiving notch of tlie block. f v

6. Inv a device of the character described,

`.thecombination of a tie"niemb'er, a rail supporting block resting upon the tie meinv ber, substantially wedge 'shaped rail clamp'- ingimenibers mounted upon the tie member on vopposite sides of the rail supporting block, the tapered outer ends thereof each having a looseconnection i'viththev tiedinember, while the inner ends thereof are4 formed age the basalanges of the rail, a clamping olt connecting the rail clamping members,

'and a brace plate resting upon the inclined top of one of the wedge shaped rail clamping members and provided with a rall supporting surface engaging the head of the rail.

7 In a device of the character described,

shaped rail clamping members applied to. lthe tie member upon opposite sides of the block and provided attheir inner ends Awith wings adapted to extendoier and ven-f v gage the basal flanges of the rail, and va brace 60 with. wings' adapted to project over and enplate resting upon t-he'inclined upper '.surface of one of the rail clamping members engaging the head of theiail;

In testimony whereof Il affix my signature and provided with a rail supporting surface in presence of two Witnesses. site sides ofy the block, the outer ends of the CLAUS inmensos. Witnesses:

A. IV. PETERSON, JOSEPH SMITH.

4Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by 'addressing thee Commissioner of Patents, Washington. 10.0. 

